iOS 12.1.2 Public Beta Officially Released – Here’s What’s New

Apple on Tuesday seeded the first beta of iOS 12.1.2 to public software testers, just a day after releasing the beta for developers.

The software update itself appears to be relatively minor. iOS 12.1.2’s release notes don’t indicate any major changes beyond “bug fixes and improvements” — but there may be some additions or features being added under-the-hood.

What’s New in iOS 12.1.2 Beta 1?

There is also a well-documented connectivity issue present in iOS 12.1.1 that prevents some users from connecting to cellular data properly. While it’s too early to spot any fix for this issue, it’s worth venturing that Apple will address the bug before the final release of iOS 12.1.2.

Of course, iOS 12.1.2 will also likely introduce a number of security patches and vulnerability fixes. Those changes aren’t typically disclosed until after an iOS update is released.

There is also the possibility that iOS 12.1.2 includes some hints at upcoming Apple products, including the long-awaited and mysteriously absent AirPower wireless charging mat or the rumored iPhone XS Smart Battery Cases.

Despite that, iOS 12.1.2 seems much more incremental in nature compared to iOS 12.1.1 — which added additional eSIM support, some changes to Group FaceTime, and expanded Haptic Touch functionality on the iPhone XR.

It’s also worth noting a slight change to Apple’s iOS version numbering. By this time last year, Apple had already released iOS 11.1 and iOS 11.2. This year, it’s nearing the middle of December and Apple’s is still on a point release for iOS 12.1. That may indicate a bit of extra caution on Apple’s part since iOS 11 was notoriously buggy.

How Do I Get It?

The first iOS 12.1.2 beta should now be available to registered Apple developers and public software testers. If you’re not a part of Apple’s public beta program, you can sign up for it here.

iOS 12.1.2 beta 1 itself can be downloaded as an over-the-air update if the proper configuration profile is installed on an iPhone or iPad. It can be found in Settings > General > Software Update.